As You Please
by Leina
Summary: One-shot AU. Brooklyn and Tala are close...very close. As Brooklyn contemplates on feelings of possible jealousy, Tala is faced with a rather unpleasant experience. So, being best friends, they meet, they talk, they touch...in a very friendly way.


Woo-hoo! I'm actually submitting a one-shot, or at least it's supposed to be. O.o How odd...I wrote this in one day too. Please excuse the strangeness of some of this...I've never even written a scene with two guys kissing before. I don't know how this came about; it happened so fast. Just for the record, in the original fic, I had used two of **Jade-55's** sexy male OCs: **Ilya** and **Pierre** XD So this is dedicated to her! Anyway, please enjoy and tell me what you think.

**Warnings:** There is shounen-ai, which is slash, which is boy/boy action. Since this was originally written with other characters, I apologize now for OOCness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters.

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**As You Please**

Brooklyn lay on his small, warm bed, his hands gracefully laced behind his head, in deep in contemplation. His facial expression held the gentle air of calmness, chorused with tight reflection. As of late, he had been musing a great deal about a troubling situation that had unexpectedly come to his attention—one that he knew he should properly conclude before his bizarre, and only, rationale produced exotic fruit.

In one swift motion, Brooklyn changed his position so that he was sitting up, his toes barely touching the floor. As his gaze distantly wandered to his desk, he noticed the picture of his father and himself. Everyone always told him that he was a living reflection of his dad, who was known for being a perfect gentleman: composed, elegant, kind, polite and romantic—everything that Brooklyn was. The main difference would possibly be that Brooklyn, surprisingly, did not have his father's suave nature when it came to romancing; he was somewhat shy when it came to declarations of affection and such. Besides that, the two had mirror natures, which further illustrated just how outlandish Brooklyn's current rationalization was.

Taking a deep breath, Brooklyn closed his eyes, as he thoroughly explored his mind for a realistic explanation for his recent temperament. After a few moments, he let out a defeated sigh, reaching the same conclusion as he had already countless times: he was jealous.

Brooklyn felt utterly disappointed in himself for feeling such an ill sentiment, especially since it was such a trivial matter to begin with. Well, perhaps it wasn't trivial, but it certainly shouldn't be significant enough to create such an unsightly emotion in his normally composed personality.

Before he could continue his examination of this trying issue, the phone rang. Quickly, he sauntered to his desk to retrieve the small machine. Upon lifting the receiver to his ear, he promptly greeted the person in a cordial tone. "Good evening," he said politely. "This is Brooklyn speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hey…" came a half-hearted reply.

"Tala?" Brooklyn's voice was laced with concern, as he immediately recognized his best friend's voice, along with the dejection in it. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied unsteadily, opposite to his statement. "I just wanted to ask you…if you aren't too busy, do you think you can come pick me up?"

"Where are you?"

There was an extended silence.

"Tala?"

"I…don't know exactly," he slowly replied.

"What?" Brooklyn yelled hotly, losing his normal disposition. "What do you mean you don't know?" he rapidly added. For whatever reason, he had this horrible mental image of his roommate sitting in a dark alley, weakly holding his cell phone, while looking more than disheveled. "Did you…did something…" he tried to utter the proper words."Did somebody try to—"

"Brooklyn," Tala cut him off. "Calm down. Nothing bad happened. I just got lost, okay?"

Brooklyn hesitated, knowing that Tala was withholding something from him. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to find out what it was, but from the sound of the other boy's voice, he knew that this was not the time. Sighing, he nodded. "Okay," he finally replied. At least he knew he was safe, and that's what mattered most. "Can you tell about your surroundings?"

"I'm sitting on the steps of a large apartment."

"Can you see the numbers on it?"

Brooklyn could hear Tala's movements on the other side. After a moment, he replied, "Seventy-one."

The fiery-haired boy furrowed his eyebrows; the numbers sounded strangely familiar. "Can you tell me anything else about the vicinity?" he pressed on. "Are there trees? Is it all sidewalks?"

"A garden," he replied quietly. "There's a garden in front. It looks like mostly flowers, but there are some baby trees too."

Brooklyn slid his jade eyes shut, trying to create a picture from Tala's vague descriptions. It was odd, because although the image was foggy, its concept was distinct in his mind.

"There's a park."

Brooklyn kept his eyes closed. "Where?"

"Across the street."

As the image of a park gradually formed in his mind, Brooklyn suddenly knew where his friend was. He was in the area near the cemetery. Tala always went there when he was upset; he probably headed in that direction without even realizing it. A sad, knowing smile graced his gentle face as he opened his eyes. "I'll be there soon," he reassured him softly.

"Okay."

With that, Brooklyn hung up the phone and prepared to leave.

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Tala's weary head rested against the cool chain of the swing; it felt nice. Despite how horrible his evening had been, the park still brought a calming wave over his body. He was fully exhausted, and there was an unpleasant, dry taste of alcohol lingering in his mouth that he wished would go away.

Tala actively disliked liquor, and he never understood how or why Brooklyn was so fond of cocktails. Brooklyn had once urged him to try one at his nineteenth birthday two years ago, which simply lead to Tala incessantly coughing and groaning about how much it burned. Ever since then, he had vowed to avoid taking in such toxins at any costs, and he was able to keep that vow—until today, of course.

The redhead groggily rubbed his temples, as the memories of the day blurred in his mind to the point where he wondered which parts actually happened, and which didn't. He remembered going to the restaurant where he would meet his girlfriend, Miyo, for their six month anniversary. He remembered feeling excited; this was the longest and most relatively serious relationship he had ever been in. He remembered putting the boxed jewelry in his pocket. He remembered having butterflies in his stomach. He remembered complaining to Brooklyn about how he felt like he would hurl at any moment, at which his roommate would unhelpfully suggest that he drink an alcoholic beverage to calm his nerves. Everything seemed as clear as a blue sky; it wasn't until she told him her news that his mind became clouded with uncertainties.

A cool, gust of wind washed over him, gently lifting his crimson tie. He slowly closed and opened his eyes, vacantly staring at the building across the street. He really should go back, since that was be the spot Brooklyn would be picking him up. He knew his friend would be worried if he wasn't there. As if answering his thoughts, a golden leaf gracefully fluttered towards him and stopped against his chest, as if playfully requesting him to remain where he was.

_Maybe just a little bit longer,_ he thought to himself, grinning lightly. It was so peaceful here, and he deserved a bit of peace after what he had gone through, didn't he?

Once again, he rested his eyes, vaguely aware that his feet were lightly stroking the sand, thus moving the swing ever so slightly. As he became aware of his weight upon the swing, his mind wandered back to a memory of him and Brooklyn in the park after his first break up when he was fifteen.

Brooklyn had asked him whether he was upset, and Tala replied with a simple no. He wasn't happy, but he wasn't heart-broken either. He knew it was probably because he didn't care for her the way lovers should, which was the exact reason as to why she broke up with him in the first place. Brooklyn simply replied with a nod, indicating that he didn't need any further explanation. After that, the two had sat on the bench for an extended period of comfortable silence.

"So there you are," a smooth voice suddenly announced. "I had a feeling you wouldn't stay put. You're just lucky that I know you well enough to check here too."

Tala didn't bother to open his eyes; he knew that silky voice all too well. "Sorry," he apologized quietly, still leaning against the metal part of the swing.

"Don't be," Brooklyn delicately replied. Tala felt him gently brush behind him, followed by the quiet sounds of Brooklyn taking a seat on the adjacent swing. "This isn't very comfortable," he complained in distaste. "And the seat is cold."

As he slowly opened his lavender eyes, the redhead couldn't contain the grin that ultimately painted its way to his lips. "I just got dumped, and all you care about is your comfort level," he teased in mock hurt. "Some friend you are." He waited for the obligatory retort. When he didn't receive one, he curiously turned his exotic gaze onto his friend. "Brooklyn?"

Brooklyn was vacantly staring at the sand, as if in deep meditation—one that was obviously upsetting him. "Forgive me," he finally whispered. "I should have been more supportive. I should have allowed you to spend more time with Miyo, instead of forcing you to be around—"

"Brooklyn," Tala cut in, breaking his friend's irrational speech. "What are you talking about?"

The light-haired boy looked up at him, as if suddenly remembering his presence. Frowning, Tala noted that his emerald eyes held traces of obvious guilt. "She…why did she break up with you?" he asked cautiously, as if trying to confirm something.

Tala evenly met his gaze, trying not to falter when he spoke. He was indeed quite upset, but at that moment, he had an intense feeling that what he said next would affect his friend in a stronger way. "She said that we didn't see each other enough," he tentatively responded.

"Really? Was that all?" He was giving him that look; specifically the one which bore into his soul, searching for answers that Tala could hide from anyone else but him. After a moment, Brooklyn finally looked away and directed his attention to the dark sky. "I truly am sorry," he repeated again, his tone despondent. "I should have encouraged your relationship. I know how much you liked her."

Tala searched for the words to comfort his best friend. He found the situation incredibly ironic since it should have been the other way around. Although somehow, when it was Brooklyn who was in affliction, his own hurt didn't seem to matter as much. "Ill get over it," he reassured him. "I'll admit that I liked her a lot more than the others, but if she couldn't accept my relationship with you, then I suppose it's her loss."

Brooklyn turned his head, noticing the slight frown that tainted Tala's voice. "You shouldn't have to reserve time for me. I'm your best friend, not your girlfriend. She had every right to want more time with you. I was the unreasonable one. I don't know why I acted like a selfish child," he scolded himself.

As much as Brooklyn's words held some truth, Tala was still tempted to give him a good smack. Did he even realize what he was saying? Wasn't he the one who was slightly intoxicated from earlier? Why was his companion the one jabbering about nonsense? He was about to yell at him, but held himself back upon noticing the distinct expression on Brooklyn's usually soft features. His face was etched with guilt—guilt that Tala had no idea where it had come from.

"Why are you being so hard on yourself?" he asked, scowling when Brooklyn looked away once again. "You realize that it is my choice on how I spent my time, right?" The other boy continued to avoid eye contact, which made Tala rather exasperated. "Look at me when I'm talking to you," he said firmly. Before Brooklyn could object, he was suddenly facing his best friend, his gaze held in place as Tala held his chin. "If people can't accept my relationship with you, then I can't be with them," he pointedly declared. "You know how much you mean to me, don't you?"

Without warning, Brooklyn felt a hot blush rise in his cheeks, and he thanked god that the park was dimly lit. He didn't know why he was blushing; perhaps it was the cold or maybe the proximity was just too much for him. He was never good at dealing with physical closeness to begin with.

"I know…I can't help but feel bad though," he said quietly, slightly bowing his head.

With that reply, Tala sighed and released his hold on the other boy. He carefully got off the swing, and with just a few steps, he was standing directly in front of him. He leaned slightly forward, inwardly smirking at the somewhat flustered look on his friend's face. Affectionately, he held either sides of Brooklyn's gentle face and brought their foreheads together before closing his eyes. "Please don't be stupid," he said honestly, fully aware of how his voice playfully mingled with Brooklyn's soft breathes. "She just wasn't the right one for me," he added. "I doubt I'll ever find that person."

As his voice trailed off, Brooklyn gingerly stood up, not wanting to break their contact. With that last comment came the realization that Tala had been the one doing all the comforting, even though he was probably the one hurting the most. Brooklyn was ashamed of his selfishness. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms lightly around Tala's waist, gently rubbing his back.

"You will," he breathed. "If they could see half of what I see in you, they would realize just how incredible you are."

Brooklyn's soothing words elicited a soft smile from his best friend. As Tala opened his eyes, he met Brooklyn's soft emeralds and vaguely wondered why he never noticed just how enticing they were.

Tala was eternally grateful to him; not just for today, but for all the days they had known each other. He wanted to say thank you, but found that his voice was resting in the tranquility of the situation. Instead, he smoothly lowered Brooklyn's head and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. In response, Brooklyn pulled him closer, resting his head against Tala's sound chest. He could feel the warmth emitting from the other boy's body and remembered exactly why he always felt safe when he was with him.

"I know you'll find that person one day," Brooklyn declared in whisper. "Until then…you have me."

Tala placed a gentle hand on the back of his friend's head, lightly running his fingers through the soft tresses of his warm-coloured hair. "Brooklyn, even if I do find that person…I…" He paused, unsure of whether he should finish his sentence. "I…still want you to be with me…" he quietly said, almost shyly. When Brooklyn didn't reply right away, he was worried that he had said too much. Perhaps that was going a little bit too far…even for them.

"Okay."

Tala blinked in surprise. "Pardon?" He lightly pulled back, just enough so that they were facing each other.

"I said....okay," Brooklyn slowly repeated, somewhat hesitantly. "You didn't even have to ask," he added, smiling his usual smile.

Tala's widened eyes soon softened, as he returned the friendly gesture, nodding. "I know."

A comfortable silence passed, just as it did when Tala was fifteen. As strange as it was, he knew a large part of his world revolved around his best friend. Somebody once suggested a long time ago that they were soul mates, at which both of them blushed profusely. Now, he couldn't deny that it was true.

Tala suddenly squirmed, as he unexpectedly felt Brooklyn trace mischievous circles near the back of his waist. His devilish eyes sharpened, as a wicked idea formed in his psychotic mind. After all, two could play at this game.

Much to Brooklyn's surprise, his friend retaliated by leaning in closer and smoothly running his soft lips against the nape of his neck. Damn him! Tala knew perfectly well that Brooklyn was unbearably ticklish there, and he was obviously going to use it to his complete advantage.

Brooklyn promptly ceased his attack, unintentionally letting out a strangled purr. He wanted to laugh, but for whatever reason, he didn't; it wasn't ticking him. Rather, there was this foreign sensation rushing through his body, and he couldn't help but grip on the sides of Tala's clothes.

"Tala…stop…" he said huskily, acutely aware of the growing pace of his breathing. His mind urged him to end the situation immediately before it got any further, but his body responded in ways that he couldn't control.

Brooklyn's skin felt hot beneath his lips, as Tala trailed an affectionate, moist path across his neck and along his jaw. He didn't know what had possessed him to make such a daring move, but he was pleased that he did. There was something immensely satisfying in the way that Brooklyn grasped his sides, and how his panting quickened, practically on the verge of desperate need.

"S…Sto…" Brooklyn softly tried to protest.

Tala brought his mouth painfully close to his friend's ear and whispered, "Are you sure?" There was a pause, which Tala took as an opportunity to sensually trace one of his fingers down his friend's chest, and only stopped when he reached the bottom of his top. As his hand lingered where it was, he added, in a low voice, "Answer me, Brooklyn."

There was another brief pause, as Brooklyn tried to utter the proper response. He cogently held back his bodily instincts, as he felt Tala tugging at his shirt more urgently. Finally, as his soft lips parted, there was only one word he could manage to say. "No…" he breathed.

"What did you say?" Tala pushed, wanting to hear the answer again.

"No…don't….sto—" Brooklyn broke off, as he felt Tala's hand snake its way beneath his shirt and slowly crawl up his warm chest. His groaned softly, as Tala's gifted fingers delicately caressed his sensitive skin. Heat was swirling around him, forcing him to bite down his tongue to control the unholy sounds that threatened to erupt from his throat. He felt intoxicated, unaware of the world except for Tala's touch.

Tala could feel the other boy's chest heaving up and down, and wickedly, he wondered what else he could elicit from him. Boldly, he moved his hand further up Brooklyn's chest. As his thumb gently teased Brooklyn's nipple, Tala was pleased to hear an inhibited moan escape his friend's warm lips.

"Do you like that?" he asked seductively, his teeth deftly grazing Brooklyn's cheek.

Brooklyn would have answered if he could, but he knew perfectly well that opening his mouth would result in the release of very loud, disturbing sounds. He felt flushed and lively at the same time, and for some reason, he didn't want it to stop.

At some point, Tala removed his hand from its fixation and placed them on his friend's shoulders, keeping him in place. His deep, violet eyes glistened with lust, as his toxic gaze met Brooklyn's clouded, jade orbs. Slowly, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against Brooklyn's, swiftly pulling back just before he could respond.

Brooklyn glared at his best friend, breathing harshly. He was teasing him. That had to be what Tala was doing. He initiated something, and now he was planning to stop. Well, there was no way he would allow such an inconsiderate thing. Unexpectedly, he roughly pressed his mouth against Tala's and promptly demanded entrance. As Brooklyn's eyes slid shut, he smirked, feeling the slight hesitation in Tala's response; it was his turn to control the situation.

Finally, stepping out of shock, Tala granted him desired access to his waiting cavity. Brooklyn's unrestrained tongue swept into his mouth, instantly dominating the clash. The redhead tightened his hold on his friend, as he willingly moaned into the heated kiss. He felt as if his mind was swimming in a tongue of flames, which he was happy to drown in.

Pleased, Brooklyn pressed their feral bodies closer together, wanting to completely immerse himself in the sinful desire that was his best friend. As he deepened the kiss, a rush of pleasure further invaded his physical being, and all that was left was to completely surrender.

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Neither of them were sure when it ended. As unexpected as it began, it had ended the same way. They were still in the park, though now they were sitting on a bench with a fair bit of distance between the two. The silence hung over them like lead. Someone had to start the conversation.

"So…do you wanna go home now?" Tala finally asked, his voice casual.

Brooklyn curiously looked up at him, soon realizing that Tala's expression held nothing but amusement. And so, he nodded, consequently standing up. "Okay." He held out his hand, which Tala took and promptly laced their fingers together.

Without another word, they walked back to Brooklyn's car. The ginger-haired boy still wasn't sure what exactly had happened; it suddenly seemed to be a hazy, distant memory in his mind. He knew one thing though. No matter what happened between them, their relationship would always be close. How close exactly? Well, only the future held that answer.

**Owari**


End file.
